The Outliers
by marisa ann
Summary: Were you ever bothered by why Dauntless impulsively jump onto moving trains? Did you ever find yourself hopelessly confused about the concept of Divergence? Did you find it strange that the faction system has managed to work for generations flawlessly? Would you like believable answers to these questions I hope you've asked yourself? Then read on! Not anti-Divergent, I promise.
1. Mirrors

**First of all, thanks for your interest in this fic thus far. Let me clarify a few things. This is not a hate fic. _This is not a hate fic._ I don't hate Divergent. If I did, I wouldn't bother writing this. Okay, that's all for this first note. It'll be slow at first but trust me when I say we'll get to the good parts if you keep reading. **

****This fic is not anti-Divergent! I have a lot of different views and opinions on the franchise, but this will never turn into anti-Divergent. Pinkie-promise!****

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><p>Sometimes if I looked a little too long in the single mirror within our home, my parents or my brother would appear behind me and smile. Not warmly, but with tight lips, scolding me in the only way a member of Abnegation can. It wasn't that I was not allowed to look in the mirror, to make sure I didn't have anything distracting on my face or wipe away dirt on my brow. But when my gaze lingered on my distinct, though not conventionally <em>pretty<em>, features it was seen by my faction as being a little vain. Selfless people tried not to admire themselves in mirrors. The only reason we had a mirror in our house at all was for practical purposes. But I couldn't help it. I wished I could spend an afternoon just looking at my steel-blue eyes, to see if they caught the light in a different way that they might change color to be a more vibrant blue or a darker gray.

Sometimes I would sit in the chair by the window just to watch my family move about. My father had a natural sway to his step, as if he reconsidered his decision to walk into the kitchen on his way toward it. It made him look like he was pacing more often than walking and he looked a little more thoughtful than my mother, as if he carefully planned every action before he executed it. My mother was graceful, flowing from one movement to the next as if carried by the wind. Whenever she passed me, she would smile at me no matter what I was doing. There were gray streaks in her hair now, but the laugh lines at the edges of her eyes made her seem much younger than her appearance betrayed. And then sometimes she had a sudden jarring movement, like a sharp snap to attention, if I accidentally dropped something or addressed her when she was distracted. My brother, Caleb, was even more different. Though he carried out his duties as a young Abnegation man well, he constantly seemed distracted. I caught him smiling at nothing at times, as if he had just thought of something more curious than mundane tasks like washing dishes.

None of them looked at the mirror when they passed by it. But I did, every single time.

The more I took time to watch my family interact in the quiet, polite way Abnegation families always had, the more I came to realize that I just didn't belong in the picture. I couldn't see myself avoiding eye-contact with myself in the mirror like they did. I couldn't see myself quietly putting away dishes alongside Caleb without having the desire to talk about myself—no, about my day, and the ups and downs of it. But I couldn't tell him without him asking, or I would be considered self-centered. I desperately craved casual, comfortable conversation where I could laugh and talk about anything but Abnegation was just never the place for such a thing. Abnegation was a place for small, warm smiles and short, quiet exchanges.

I didn't belong. I couldn't possibly belong. So that was why, on the morning of the thirty-first of July, I felt a bizarre mixture of hope and dread for the Aptitude Test I would be taking just a couple hours from now. If I was so sure I didn't belong in Abnegation, then what faction _did_ I belong in?

I could belong in Amity. I liked seeing those that dressed in oranges and yellows, colors that gave off happiness. I found myself accepted around Amity boys and girls, who showed their teeth when they smiled at me and laughed whole-heartedly at the witty remarks I occasionally allowed myself to voice. They were people that loved to be kind, and loved to love. They provided food, listening ears, and music to us because they believed in nothing more than being kind and giving to each other with no other reason than for the joy of giving.

I pulled on the plain gray clothes that undoubtedly the Amity had made for us. As I opened my bedroom door, nearly bumping into Caleb who hid a yawn behind his hand, I wondered if I could don sunshine-y colors and live my days in kindness and happiness. But as I descended the stairs I thought of how difficult it might be to smile at someone if I was feeling miserable. It was already difficult enough to politely answer that I was fine to the question "How are you?" regardless if I was feeling fine or not.

I wondered for a moment, as I poured my cereal, if I could belong in Candor. They wore black and white and believed more than anything in truth and justice. The Candor made reliable friends at school, since you always knew what they were all about, but their openness sometimes made me nervous. The more I thought about it, the more I thought of how awful it would be if I had to be truthful about everything; whether the question was probing or not, it still made me vastly uncomfortable so I quickly discarded the possibility of Candor.

Before we left for the Aptitude Test, our parents met us at the door and wished us luck. My mother firmly kissed my forehead and tucked a lock of blonde hair behind my ear and my father folded me in an awkward embrace. One of the funny quirks about Abnegation that I found strangely endearing was their minimal physical contact. I didn't even know how it had emerged as a trait of our faction, but everyone was incredibly awkward with affection shown through touch. Like they didn't know what to do with themselves. So I laughed quietly as my father released me.

"Don't worry, Beatrice," he reassured me. "It'll all be fine."

I wondered if he knew of how much I didn't belong in the faction I was born in. Surely he had noticed how I just couldn't take up any of the faction ideals and general lifestyle. It must be obvious.

Once outside the door, it was just me and Caleb. He offered me one of those Abnegation smiles but the muscles in his jaw flexed when he did. He was nervous. Caleb, who did so much better than I ever had in our selfless faction, was nervous about the Aptitude Test. That just made me even more worried as we boarded the bus into the busier part of Chicago.

The bus was thick with the colors of each faction. A Candor woman with a slight frame and a bump in her abdomen clambered on at the last minute, and Caleb immediately offered his seat for her. The woman thanked him, the relief on her face obvious. I tried not to frown as I looked forward but the fact of that matter was I hadn't even thought about giving up my bus seat to the Candor woman. Even after seeing Caleb do it plenty of times throughout our life, my first instinct was to find a seat of my own and stay there.

The third stop was school and Caleb and I waited for the other students to get off before we followed. It was windier today, making my loose gray slacks snap around my ankles sharply. Together, we headed toward the school building which would be open only for seniors taking the Aptitude Test.

Caleb wasn't my twin, but he wasn't quite a year older than me either, so he opted to taking the test with me today instead of taking it last year. Usually we were only allowed to take the test if we were eighteen, but exceptions were made for those born in August; thus, since Caleb's birthday landed on August 23rd, he was given the choice to take the test last year or this year, with me.

Caleb would be nineteen soon. And on August 19th, I would be eighteen.

We followed a stream of blue-clothed Erudite into the school building and for a moment I considered the option of joining the faction that valued intelligence. They were the intellectuals, philosophers, and doctors in our Chicago society. They made technological advances and made the plans to renovate and rebuild the ravaged parts of the city. I had always been interested in those things, like strategic planning and just thinking about why we were here and how our faction system could be different. I loved to think, but I was apprehensive of the Erudite. Some of them were arrogant and liked to show off how knowledgeable they were.

We passed by a window just as the Dauntless arrived. They took the train that wound nonstop around the city and they were the only ones who took the train. Every day I would pause by the windows and watch the Dauntless leap from the train and land deftly on the ground. They never harmed themselves and that made me wonder if they were used to it or if the train slowed down significantly to allow them to jump safely.

Either way, they had always fascinated me. More than the other factions, they freely interacted with each other. They laughed and grinned and talked without holding anything back and that kind of freedom was something I'd craved all my life. The Dauntless were protectors of the city. They were soldiers, bodyguards, the ones who took risks to advance our torn society. Dauntless were brave.

"Beatrice." Caleb's voice was quiet but firm. I turned quickly to face him and, again, he gave me a tight-lipped Abnegation smile. Then we turned into the corridor to the lunchroom where the rest of the seniors were gathered.

As usual, we sat by the rest of the Abnegation seniors. Our classes were not very big at all what with the population of Chicago being decimated vastly by the nuclear war which had taken place a few generations before me. So there were only a dozen or so seniors from each faction. There was a small space of idle chatter until an Erudite showed up to explain what was happening.

"The Aptitude Test," she began, "puts you through a simulation unique to each individual. In the simulation, you'll be put through a variety of tasks and challenges that will measure your aptitude for each faction. In the end, you will be told which one you will perform best in. It is suggested you choose this faction tomorrow at the Choosing Ceremony but it is not required. The Aptitude Test is tweaked and revised every year so there have been instances in which you know your mind better than the test." She folded her arms against her blue blouse. "But there is a risk to choosing a different faction from the one you showed the best performance for. If you cannot pass the faction's Initiation or adapt to their lifestyle, then you run the risk of becoming factionless."

She swayed for a moment, taking a couple steps back. "Lastly, you are not allowed to share your results with your peers or family until after the Choosing Ceremony. This way, your decision is not influenced by others because your decision is your _own_. Good luck," she finished, offering a quick smile before clicking away down the corridor. A moment later, five people, one from each faction, emerged from the testing rooms and names were called out from a loudspeaker: "Sadie Andrews, Derek Appleton, Susan Black, Robert Black, and Jonathan Carson."

Next to me, Susan rose alongside her brother Robert. Unlike Caleb and me, they were twins and had done everything together since birth. I had no doubt both would choose Abnegation when the time came.

The next group was called twenty minutes later. The closer the letters came to the middle of the alphabet, the more nervous I got. What if the test told me I really was best suited for Abnegation? The thought worried me more than anything else. It would be difficult and heart-wrenching and terrible to leave my family, but I also knew I didn't belong in their lifestyle.

"Chastity Owens, Beatrice Prior, Caleb Prior…"

I flinched when my name was called along with Caleb's and when I stood up his hand suddenly closed around mine and squeezed. But his fingers were trembling too, and I looked up at him sharply. He looked very pale, his blue eyes—which were much more vibrant than mine—standing in contrast to the whiteness. The only reason Caleb should fear the test was if he was afraid it would give him a result that he didn't want.

_Does Caleb even belong in Abnegation?_ I asked myself bewilderedly. Lord, if _Caleb_, my sweet selfless brother, was afraid of what the Aptitude Test would tell him, then I should be terrified.

But I wasn't scared. I was anxious. I wanted to know my future.

Caleb was assigned to the Erudite woman who had spoken before. And, in the room adjacent, I was assigned to a Dauntless woman. She stood outside the door, drumming her fingers along her knee as I approached. Like the rest of the Dauntless, she was dressed in black, tight-fitting clothes that I assumed made it easy for her to fight in. I wondered if Dauntless even had casual clothes, since they always dressed like they were prepared to fight at any given moment.

"Come on," she said, waving her hand and spinning around to open the door. She stepped inside swiftly and I followed. For a moment I paused, staring wide-eyed around me.

Mirrors surrounded me, covering every wall and even the ceiling. I was struck by how tiny the mirror was at home when faced with this. Just by turning my head a little I could clearly and easily see my blonde hair tied into the tight bun my mother had done for me before she'd left. I could also see just how ridiculous I looked in my loose gray clothes and for a second color bloomed in my cheeks.

"Take a seat," said the Dauntless woman, kicking the leather chair in the center of the room. I turned sharply to look at her and she raised her eyebrows. "I suppose this is the first time you've seen yourself in a full-length mirror?"

I bit my lip, holding back a retort that I wasn't allowed to voice. I swallowed it and just shrugged lightly before loping over to the chair and settling myself in it.

The woman began busying herself with setting things up and I watched closely, curious. She used a dropper to steal an amount of liquid from a large bowl, before squeezing it into the tube of a syringe. After that, she clicked away at a small, compact computer and raised her hands to flick at the screen every once in a while.

"My name is Tori," she said as she continued with getting ready. "Obviously I'm from Dauntless, and I'll be administering your test. If you were listening earlier, you'll know that the Aptitude Test is a simulation that is unique to you." She inserted a needle into the syringe and locked it in place. "Despite that, you're not allowed to share your experiences within the simulation until after the Choosing Ceremony. Then you can gossip all you want, we don't care."

When she turned, I saw a sort of tribal tattoo on her neck of a hawk spreading its wings, red eyes piercing against the black marks. Without thinking, I blurted out, "Your tattoo, what does it mean?"

Tori turned, her dark eyes widening a bit. "Huh, usually the Abnegation aren't so…intrusive."

My cheeks burned and I turned my head. I shouldn't have asked that. Tori's own outspoken and casual mannerisms made me feel like I could be outspoken as well.

But then she started to answer my question. "I used to be afraid of the dark. Like, _deathly_ afraid," she emphasized. I faced her again, seeing a small smirk on her lips. "When I overcame that fear, I can't even explain to you how proud I was. I wanted to get something to show I would never be afraid of the dark again. In some cultures, the hawk symbolizes the sun." She shrugged, her dark hair shifting over her mocha-toned shoulders as she did so. "If you've got the sun on your neck, there's really no reason to be afraid of the dark."

I stared at her, fascinated. I wondered what the story was behind her defeating her fear of the dark. I had always thought you only learned to fight in Dauntless, but was there something more to it?

"Lay your arm out," she instructed, taking up the syringe. I obeyed, rolling up my sleeve as best I could. I looked away as she pricked my skin with the needle, looking instead at the mirrors around me. A second later, Tori was placing the syringe on the table again. Already, my vision was getting cloudier.

"What's with the mirrors?" I asked drowsily.

"They help the simulation take effect more quickly." Tori's voice seemed distant. "You could say it's really trippy, and you need to be tripped up to let the simulation take effect."

Had she really just said trippy? I laughed softly, but then it was getting harder to laugh because all my muscles wanted to relax. And when they relaxed, I could feel myself slipping.

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><p><strong>Now things will be getting a little more interesting, yeah? Alright, so here's the deal. I like the Divergent series...to an extent. It required a <em>lot<em> of suspension of disbelief to like it, but I liked it nonetheless. Still, a lot of things bothered me about it. There are plot holes and poorly developed characters and seemingly pointless plots and most of _Divergent_ ends up meaning nothing until the last, like, 100 pages. **

**I'm writing this to get closure. Because I know _Divergent_ is a great concept, but it needs to be fleshed out just a little more. Veronica Roth laid out a skeleton, I feel like, of what the series should have been rather than what it actually is, and that kinda bothers me. Her writing was simple (maybe appealing to younger readers) but contained so much action that it was dizzying and sort of hard to keep up with. So I'm going to be more detailed, and make sure things are clear and concise, and provide an actual background as to how Chicago ended up like this in the first place, and I'm going to actually make the faction system make sense. **

**More or less, the story will stick to the general plot of _Divergent_, with more tweaks toward the end and more foreshadowing of terrible things to come. As you can see, I've already changed things. The Prior household has a mirror they're actually allowed to look at (we really do need mirrors for practical purposes, believe it or not). Beatrice and Caleb, being Irish twins (born less than a year apart, that is), are in the same grade in school and take the test together. The Aptitude Test is a little different as well. The concept of it, I mean (but the real deal as well, which comes in the next chapter). I thought this was what Roth was trying to get it, but she does it in the...easiest way possible. This is supposed to be a huge technological advancement that Jeanine, the big enemy of the entire series, came up with. But I feel like a ten-year-old could think of this. No one, and I mean _no one_ would be stupid enough to have no idea what faction they have an aptitude for at the end of the test. Everyone is given the _same exact simulation?_ Are you fucking kidding me? Are you telling me that dumbass sixteen-year-olds aren't going to tell everyone about how the Aptitude Test works after they've taken it? I think it should be obvious each simulation would be unique to each test taker, to take things from their mind that they would react in a specific way to. Like, say you want to figure out if a kid is suited best for Candor. The serum would pull scenarios from the participant's mind that they would be prodded to act truthful in. A serum like that is both more believable and more difficult to come up with, which would make Jeanine a more feared antagonist because she can create something like that. But anyway. More on the Aptitude Test next chapter.**

**Their ages have also been raised. I've always been really bothered by the fact sixteen-year-olds were making the single most important decision of their lives at that age. That's just really, really stupid. I didn't even know who I was at sixteen and you expect them to choose who they are going to be? And if they don't make it in that faction, they'll end up forsaken as a factionless? Yeah, that's really effed up. Eighteen is a young age as well, but...well, I'm eighteen and I was able to pick out the college of my dreams fairly reasonably.**

**Also, yes, I am eighteen. I am an English major, but that by no means makes me an expert on the written word so I do hope I don't come off as arrogant. I don't want to make it seem like I think I'm _above_ Veronica Roth...but, hah, I do like to think I put a little more thought into her story than she did herself.**

**Okay, I think that's it for ranting on this chapter. In every chapter, I'll add an Author's Note at the end explaining what I changed and why and how it relates to the original text. Sorry, this author's note was super long and I apologize. But this will be fun for me, as I've never written a 'fix-it' fic before. **

**I'd love to know what you think. I always wanna know. Do you love it, hate it, want to give me constructive criticism? Seriously, just let me know in a review!**

**- marisa ann**


	2. Aptitude

**Thanks for the reviews, guys, I appreciate them! Here's the next chapter! :]**

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><p>I was still looking at the mirrors and before my eyes I could see dozens of myself. They all moved in synchronization at first, like they should. When I looked over lazily at Tori, she wasn't there. I blinked, puzzled. Had she left? No, she couldn't have, she was supposed to overlook my test.<p>

The Aptitude Test. I was in a simulation. Wasn't something supposed to be happening right now?

Right as that thought crossed my mind, wooden panels spread beneath my feet. When I looked up, I was on a swaying boat in the middle of a huge expanse of a frothing sea. Movement caught my eye and I turned sharply at it. Slowly, half a dozen figures dressed completely in black from head to toe emerged from parts of the boat, surrounding me. All of them held some sort of weapon and none of them had eyes, just black holes in empty sockets. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I stepped back slowly, looking around me. They were preparing to pounce, I knew that. Could they see if they didn't have eyes? If I was as quiet as possible, maybe I could subdue a couple of them and get away.

Just a few inches away from me were some chains. I started to reach for them, but—no, the clanking would cause way too much noise. There was rope, though, a couple yards away. I stepped as quietly as I could and took it up in my hands. The figures dressed in black advanced closer and closer, still slow. I waited until one of them was just a couple steps away before I lunged, wrapping the rope around his neck, his torso, his legs. He tripped and scrambled around and the noise made them face me, but I had already taken off running.

The scene dissolved and for a moment I was running in darkness. Then I felt hot, burning sand on my feet and the scenery transformed into a desert area around me. I skidded to a halt, kicking up sand. The sun was so hot that I immediately discarded my gray cardigan and hiked up my slacks. I was in a simulation, so it wasn't like anyone was there to judge me or call me out for it.

"Beatrice!"

Or maybe not.

I turned around to see a handful of people behind me, dressed in worn clothes and looking much more exhausted than I felt. But something beyond them caught my eye. It was a lush green area standing in glorious, delicious contrast to the dry desert. One of them, a young bronze-skinned man, gestured at me.

"C'mon, Beatrice, pay attention," he chided.

Nonplussed, I just nodded and came closer until I was standing at his side and next to a girl with curly brown hair.

"There could be really dangerous things in there," one girl was saying, her forehead shining with sweat. "Other animals will have taken shelter there too, right? We could be killed."

"Yeah, but we'll die out here," a different boy argued. He pushed his dark hair out of his eyes in frustration. "Going in there is just a risk we're going to have to take. We've got no other choice."

"We could get out of the desert," the girl shot back.

"And we've been trying to do that for days," the boy next to me pointed out. "I agree with Tom, we should go to the forest." He paused, looking around. "Since Nina got us into the desert in the first place, I think we should have a new leader, yeah?" The girl from before looked annoyed but didn't argue. "So who wants to lead us into the forest?"

For the moment that no one spoke, my head spun. I could do this. If I could go into that forest, I bet I could make reasonable decisions. At least, I would make better decisions than the girl who had gotten us into the desert. "I will," I said quickly. They all looked at me. More firmly, I added, "I'll lead us."

No one argued. They just nodded slowly and fell in behind me as I moved toward the lush trees. I'd never led anyone in anything in my life, but I didn't feel nervous about it. I felt confident but I was a little confused when I entered the forest and the scene hadn't dissolved yet. This sure was a strange test… A noise alerted me and I stopped, holding out my hand to stop the others as well.

From the depths of the forest came a man. His clothes were even more ragged than ours. His shirt looked like it used to be white, but it was now caked with dirt and grime. His face might have been handsome at one point, but a scar dragged itself along his brow and a scraggly beard made him seem more intimidating.

"What do we do?" breathed Nina.

I was still looking at the man, trying to think quickly. He looked scary, but maybe he wasn't a threat. He also looked like he'd been here far longer than us, so he could tell us if the forest was dangerous or not. I hesitated only a moment before swallowing and stepping out from behind the bushes we'd paused behind.

Instantly, the man noticed me. Instead of wearing an ugly sneer like I should have expected, he beamed at me. His grin stretched wide and relief flooded his face. "Oh, God! I'm not alone!"

I managed to smile a bit. I was just glad he wasn't an adversary. "We just came here. Is this forest really…er, dangerous?"

The man shook his head. "Not any more dangerous than the usual forest! I've been here for months, but it's been terribly lonely, you know?"

Chunks of the scene started to fall away before my eyes, turning to blackness completely before a different scene started to rebuild itself. I was sitting on a couch in a comfortable room, and sobs filled the air with tension. Someone was shaking against my shoulder, trembling all over, and soaking my gray shirt with tear stains. Looking at her, I got the feeling she was familiar, like she was supposed to be a close friend of mine. _Must be the simulation_, I decided.

"…he just kept h-hitting me and I screamed for him to stop, b-but when he did he kept apologizing and telling me he still loved me and needed me a-and," she trailed off, hiccupping. When she raised her head a bit, I could see a gash on her temple and a cut on her lip.

"Let's get you cleaned up," I said at once, eager to get away from the uncomfortable physical contact. I looked around hurriedly for something to bandage her up with and on the table there appeared an amount of gauze and other medical things that I assumed would be helpful. I had never helped someone clean up a wound before, but I thought it couldn't be too difficult.

I soaked a small rag in water and returned to my friend, who looked at me sadly with brown doe eyes. I gently pressed the cloth to her forehead and she sniffed, another tear trickling down her cheek.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" she mumbled. "Do you think he still loves me?"

I swallowed a lump growing in my throat. I didn't know how to answer that. I didn't know how to comfort her either. In Abnegation, we never showed what we were truly feeling to spare our companions the discomfort of showing negative emotion and because it was selfish to focus on our problems. I knew that a man that beat her didn't love her, but I didn't have the heart to tell her that. She looked so heart-broken already.

"Let's just worry about your bruises for now," I told her quietly, avoiding the question.

The scene fell away once more but instead of piecing itself together again, it was black for a long while. I lingered in the darkness, swaying with uncertainty. The simulation should be over now, right? Was there some kind of deliberation period where it decided what faction I was in?

Light flared before my eyes and I jerked upwards, gasping. I was in the mirror room again, and Tori was very still beside me. She was tapping quickly at the screen.

"I don't understand, the simulation should have gone on longer than that. It just…kicked you out. It malfunctioned." Tori frowned, still tapping the screen. Then her hands moved slower before stopping altogether. Her hands folded in front of her and she slowly turned to look at me.

I wiped my suddenly sweaty hands on my slacks, noticing also that my cardigan was back. "Er…what?"

"Get up." Tori's voice was sharp, an order. Startled, I immediately scrambled off the chair and she grabbed my shoulder to drag me toward a door I was sure I hadn't come through before. Her dark eyes searched mine, the light from the room reflecting off of them. In this light, they looked lighter. Like ochre.

"Listen to me very closely," the Dauntless woman said, her voice almost lower than a whisper. She glanced around her, as if someone would come through the door at any second to interrupt us. "You can't tell anyone about this. Not your friends or your family or your boyfriend. Don't even tell your _dog_, for christ's sake."

_Abnegation don't have dogs_, I thought wildly.

"That malfunction…it doesn't happen often, okay? Simulations only malfunction when certain people are under."

"Did the test finish?" I asked quickly. "Did it give me my result?"

"Sort of," she responded, glancing behind her again. "Erudite."

I stared at her uncomprehendingly, holding my breath. Was that...was that right?

"Erudite," she went on, "and Dauntless."

My heart thudded hard against my throat, and heat raced through my veins. "Wh-what does that mean?" I stammered. "How could I have gotten two results? Did it not finish properly?"

"Oh, it finished alright," Tori said, her eyes flashing. "Because you shut it down yourself. Maybe it was some subconscious desire to finish your test quickly and get your results. Either way…people can't do that, Beatrice."

I stared at her in silence, searching her eyes for some sign this was all just a joke. I didn't know how Dauntless were, maybe they liked to joke around. But she was quiet and she seemed to quake with tension.

"They call it Divergent," she breathed, her voice even lower now. "People who have the ability to perform their best equally in more than one faction. People like that are _extremely_ rare, trust me. They're not meant to live in our society, because their equal aptitude for another faction often gets in the way of performing at their peak in their chosen faction. It results in indecision and being torn between different ideals when you should only adapt to one to contribute to our society." She flinched at the sound of footsteps outside the door, then went on after a few seconds of frantic breathing. "Divergent tear apart the system and they make simulations malfunction. Divergent are considered _dangerous_, Beatrice. If anyone finds out about it, they'll _kill_ you."

It felt like something was pressing against my throat, and my heart was beating so fast I thought Tori must be able to both feel it and hear it. I was slack, numb with the fear of the unknown. _I don't understand!_ I screamed inwardly.

My mouth was so dry I thought I wouldn't be able to form words but I somehow managed. "The test…it's supposed to tell me which faction to choose! What should I do? Which faction should I choose?"

Tori shook her head. "That's up to you. But if I were you, I would stay in Abnegation. Selfless people wouldn't kill you," she added darkly. Without another word, she gripped my shoulder and opened the door, shoving me out. "Remember: _Tell no one_."

And the door shut in my face.

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><p><strong>I've read the entirety of <em>Divergent<em> like three times and I've just finished _Insurgent_ and I still have literally no idea what being Divergent means. Does Roth ever bother to clarify that? I don't know. I feel like the concept of Divergence should have been explained in _Divergent_ but it never was. And the things I did pick up about it made zero sense. It's completely normal to have more than one trait. It would actually be really, really weird if someone were brave without being selfless. Or if someone were selfless without being kind. Everyone should be Divergent in the books if that is the definition of Divergent. **

**So I tweaked the definition a little bit. As I've already established, the Aptitude Test works because it determines which faction you have the _highest_ aptitude for, not the _only_ aptitude for. Let's say you're given Erudite as a result. You would have qualities of the other factions (assuming you're human, which Roth apparently does not) but the quality of intelligence is much higher than the rest. Therefore, you'd do best in Erudite. **

**Divergents are different. The would perform at their peak level in more than one faction. So say you're Divergent for Erudite and Dauntless. You have the traits of the other factions, but both intelligence and bravery are higher than those, making you equally suited for two factions. Imagine how much that would fuck up the system. Of both the Aptitude Test and the faction system. It would fuck up the test because it's designed to produce _one_ result, so it was easy to conclude that it would malfunction when it kept getting equal aptitude for two different factions. It would fuck up the faction system because if you're in Dauntless, training to be a soldier, you'll also have all of these Erudite ideals running through your head. Assuming each faction's ideals are different, that would really screw you up for training, wouldn't it? You're supposed to focus on _one_ lifestyle, _one_ ideal but your mind, which is best suited for two faction's ideals, just cannot pick between them. This makes Divergence dangerous because you're screwing up a system that _confines _you and _defines_ you, which is basically the definition of a dystopian society. **

**I think that makes a little more sense than Roth's version of 'most people are only one thing' which utterly dehumanizes our entire species. **

**So basically since every simulation is designed for people who will have a high aptitude in one faction, the simulations don't work on Divergents in the same way. They are aware during the sim and because they are aware they are able to manipulate it and even snap out of it.**

**You probably noticed that I changed up Tris's Divergence. I was a little skeptical that she was Divergent in the first place since it's apparently supposed to be really rare. But, I gave it a pass since she's the main character. But for her to be even _more_ special among really special and rare people? That's just total bullshit. I'm sorry, I'm not rolling with that. Roth's Tris can have special snowflake syndrome, but my Tris is going to be actually developed and interesting and not inherently stupid 99% of the time. Also, I really never understood why Tris was even Divergent for Abnegation. She never felt like she belonged anyway and her so-called 'selflessness' was just recklessness in the guise of noble action. Roth's Tris is actually one of the most selfish characters I have ever read about. Either Roth's definition of selflessness is wildly different from mine, or there's a real problem there. **

**So, yeah, my Tris is gonna be really smart and really brave. She's not Divergent for Abnegation, but that doesn't mean she can't be a decent human being like the rest of us. It just means that her bravery and intelligence are far greater than her selflessness could ever hope to be.**

**I think that's it for this chapter. Hoping you're enjoying it so far! **

****I'd love to know what you think. I always wanna know. Do you love it, hate it, want to give me constructive criticism? Seriously, just let me know in a review!****

**- marisa ann**


	3. Choosing

**I'm glad some of you are liking this so far! Here's the next chapter!**

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><p>It was good we were allowed to leave immediately after our Aptitude Test because it was easy for me to blend into the crowd at the bus stop and keep my head down. But it became a little more difficult when five minutes later Caleb arrived, his shoulder brushing mine as he came to a halt by me.<p>

He didn't say anything. The bus came and picked us up and the bus was empty enough so he could sit next to me instead of stand. I stared at my fingers and only noticed they were shaking when we got off the bus at the Abnegation sector of the city.

"How are you feeling?" asked Caleb as we walked between the identical gray blocks that were the houses of the Abnegation.

"Fine," I said too quickly, without my usual preparedness of a casual lie. "And you?"

"Fine," he responded. A smile flashed across his face, a genuinely amused one. I couldn't help but smile with him; moments like these were short-lived in my faction, and if I planned on leaving it then this could certainly be the last smile shared with my brother.

_Stay or go?_ I asked myself as we entered our home. Abnegation didn't have decorations because they were considered unnecessary and could go to better use elsewhere. The only way others would be able to tell this wasn't their home was the brass plate on the door that read '_The Priors_.' But some things on the inside of the house told me and my family that this was our home and ours alone. They were little things, like penciled markings on a pillar by the kitchen that measured my and Caleb's growing height throughout the years. And there was a small dent in the hall leading up to the second floor, which brought me back to the memory of Caleb being so absorbed in a book that he slipped down the stairs and dented the wall with his knee at the landing. In my bedroom there was a smoky mark by the bedside table from the time I left my candle alight all through the night because I fell asleep doing my homework in bed. And then the window always screeched when I opened it because I always forgot to oil the hinges.

It was the little things that pained me, that made me more reluctant than ever to leave Abnegation. I didn't belong here, but this place had been more of a home for me than any other place. What else could I do?

_Erudite or Dauntless?_ I asked myself, lying back in my bed. Downstairs, I could hear Caleb starting dinner. Could I really force myself to leave my brother here, the boy I was so close to that he could probably pass for my twin most days?

My parents would be getting home soon. The thought of leaving them killed me, made me curl up in a tight ball and bite my thumb anxiously. I couldn't leave my father. My father, whose eyes crinkled when he smiled, who spoke more firmly and clearly than any Abnegation I'd ever known. My father, who looked tired when he came home from his work of being a faction representative but relieved to be in his family's presence. And my mother, my beautiful and graceful mother. My mother, who rarely scolded me and just smiled, like she could never be disappointed in me. My mother, who hummed absentmindedly as she made dinner or washed dishes. My mother, who did my hair every morning without complaint because I couldn't get my fingers properly around my thick hair.

I didn't want to. How could I even consider it? Tori had even told me it would be the safest option for me and I was sure she was right. My family would never dream of hurting me, and the rest of the faction would never think about killing me. Tori was right—selfless people didn't hurt each other, they protected each other.

After taking the Aptitude Test, most families weren't allowed much contact with each other until the eighteen-year-old made their decision the following day. Despite that, Caleb had made dinner anyway and I heard him come up to my room. He knocked lightly on the door and twisted the knob, tentatively poking his head in. His light brown hair had flopped gently into his eyes while working. Tomorrow morning, it would probably be trimmed down to its acceptable Abnegation length before the Choosing Ceremony.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Starving," I admitted, being honest for once. I kept getting the feeling this could be the last dinner I would ever have with my brother.

Caleb perched himself on my bed next to me, offering one of the plates in his hands to me. I took it, slowly scooping up a forkful of plain white rice.

"How did your test go?" he asked, before eating some of his own rice.

"It was normal, I guess," I lied.

Caleb paused, chewing, and looked at me closely. "What was your result?"

I looked at him sharply, surprised. Caleb was never intrusive. He was always respectful of my privacy just as an Abnegation member should be.

Instead of answering, I parroted back at him, "What was _yours_?"

He smiled. "Touché."

For a moment, I felt like I was experiencing a different side of Caleb. A more open, curious side of him that wasn't hung up on stiff Abnegation smiles and bringing my selfishness to my attention.

"I'll take your plate if you're finished," he said, standing up.

The moment was gone. I nodded, passing my plate off to him. "Thanks."

.x.x.

When I woke up the next morning, August 1st, I was sure I would choose Abnegation. I could learn to be selfless, right? Even if it wasn't my strength, I could pretend. I'd pretended okay-ish for the past seventeen—almost eighteen—years of my life and I could almost see myself going through Initiation and marrying a nice Abnegation boy from my class, and raising children in the Abnegation lifestyle.

Almost.

It was my mother who launched me into uncertainty again. My father and Caleb (with his newly-trimmed hair) walked in front of us on the way to the bus stop, and she grasped my hand tightly.

"No matter what you choose, Beatrice," she said softly, "I'll love you no matter what."

I managed to give her a small smile, but inside I was boiling over with fresh anxiety. My mother knew. Of course she knew, she had to have noticed how uncomfortable I was in Abnegation, how restless and unsuited I was for it.

_Erudite?_ I wondered, as we boarded the bus that seemed much more full than usual. Even I made myself give up my seat for someone and stand with my family. I could succeed in Erudite, the test had told me so. I was intelligent, more than I was selfless, honest, or kind. I had always been curious and seeking knowledge, but Abnegation had prevented me from asking the kinds of questions needed to get to the information I often sought. I had no idea how Erudite Initiation worked, but if I made it I could easily see myself being a researcher.

When the bus stopped at the Hub—the former Sears Tower—I was almost sure I would pick Erudite. It would be a good choice. I would be allowed to be curious and learn everything I ever wanted to know about Chicago and the factions and other people.

But then I heard the train and I turned instinctively. A stream of black-clothed Dauntless jogged through the streets, slowing to an acceptable speed as they merged with the multi-colored throng into the Hub. I could already clearly hear them talking and laughing, throwing their limbs about in animated movements as they spoke. They looked alive and free.

When most of the Dauntless had disappeared into the Hub (the Abnegation, of course, milled behind to allow people to go in before them), we all headed in and took the elevator in groups. The Choosing Ceremony would start soon. Next to me, Caleb checked his watch and I quickly noticed it was 11:49. Almost noon.

The elevator emitted a _ding!_ as it dropped us off on the twentieth floor. A wave of noise rolled over me as we stepped out. I took in a sharp breath when I saw all the people gathered in the surprisingly large room. It was less of a room, actually, and more of an auditorium. Or an amphitheater. There were five sections, obviously one for each faction, and together they formed a semicircle around the raised platform. On the platform was a podium and a table. And on that table were five bowls. One for each faction.

I was shuffled into a line that stood in alphabetical order and eventually found myself between Caleb and a caramel-skinned girl wearing Erudite blue whose hands shook. Mine were shaking again too.

No sooner had all of the Abnegation members taken a seat that our leader rose from our midst. I knew little about the Choosing Ceremony, since I'd never been allowed to attend one myself until my own day came, but I did know that they had a rotation system for who spoke. This year, it must've been Abnegation because Marcus Eaton stepped up to the podium and adjusted the microphone for him to speak.

I liked Marcus. He had a face like home, a kind face with gentle wrinkles and a charming smile. He had a low voice, but it was still clear and easy to hear no matter what situation one was in. He was the one who mainly represented our faction in the government system, but he had five others to support him—one of which was my father. Everyone respected him, not just those in Abnegation, and it showed because the room fell quiet as soon as Marcus offered a disarmingly warm smile.

"Welcome," he began, "to this year's Choosing Ceremony. This is the day we honor our democratic philosophy of maintaining the right for every man to choose his own way in the world."

With a jolt, I realized that wasn't quite right. I only had five choices, and that wasn't much of a freedom at all. I suddenly felt very confined.

"Our dependents have become independents; they have become adults, and they are now free to choose their own future in the faction of their choice," Marcus went on. "Every person has different gifts and talents, and our faction society was formed to concentrate on those gifts and talents. Therefore, the Aptitude Test—developed by Erudite—was created in order to accurately and scientifically gauge the faction each person has the highest aptitude for. It is _suggested_ that each person choose the faction they received the highest aptitude for, but it is not required." Marcus's dark eyes swept over the room slowly, resting on each and every one of the young adults. "However, in choosing a faction you did not receive the highest aptitude for, you run the risk of becoming factionless. It is faction law that if you are determined to not be able to uphold the ideals and adapt to the lifestyle of the faction you chose, you will be exiled."

A shiver ran down my spine. Being factionless was…well, it wasn't an easy life. The factions gave their leftover resources to them, but it was never enough. Abnegation was the only faction that actively helped them and we were the only ones rebuilding homes and buildings so they could move into them. Being factionless was more than being homeless; it was being without a family and a community that supported you in all aspects of life.

Marcus began telling the history of our faction system and everyone listened, enraptured with his voice even though we'd all heard the story many times before. "Over a hundred years ago, there was a terrible nuclear war and most of the country was devastated and put to ruins. The toxins released by the bombs infected and killed many. Those that survived in areas of devastation would doom their future offspring with the poison in their systems.

"Chicago was, miraculously, the biggest city with the least amount of damage. It merely was affected by the quakes caused by the missiles, but the city was still left in shambles. The survivors, the ones that were not infected with the toxins, built a wall around the city to prevent the toxins from getting in. Naturally, human beings crave order when there is disorder and those with like-mindedness joined together to help each other. There were many groups, but there were five that were much more populated than the others: Abnegation, the selfless; Amity, the kind; Candor, the honest; Dauntless, the brave; and Erudite, the intelligent.

"Each blamed a specific human fault for having caused the war. Respectively, they blamed selfishness, cruelty, dishonesty, cowardice, and ignorance. You can imagine how these five different factions might have quarreled at first and they certainly did. But it was when they firmly established that each didn't want another war that they formed one united front. From then on, the five factions worked together, contributing to society in each of their unique ways. We give to each other in ways that cannot be so simply summarized in the speech I have prepared." Marcus smiled again, and chuckles spread throughout the room.

"Without one faction, the others would all be devastated. We all rely on each other, we need each other. This is how our society formed, this is how we have found peace. We play to each individual's strengths and create a more functional society than our historical ancestors would have ever dreamed of making."

I shifted as a heavy silence spread through the room. Everyone was hung on Marcus's words. This was the affect he had on others and it would be fascinating to watch if I wasn't so anxious.

"With the importance placed on factions, a bold ideal defines us: Faction before blood." Marcus looked out over the audience.

Everyone echoed in unison, "Faction before blood."

I knew that ideal, I'd known it all my life. But I'd never taken it so seriously until this very moment. In choosing a faction, I had to forget my loyalty to my family if I had to. And they would have to accept that, in return, because I was allowed the right to choose who I wanted to be…no, who I _was_. I wasn't selfless. I was intelligent and I was brave.

For a moment I was jealous of my fellow classmates. They all had a simple choice, surely. To choose the faction they'd been born in or the faction they'd received the highest aptitude for. Often, it was the same faction. But studies showed that a little less than half received the highest aptitude for a different faction. But that all didn't make transferring factions any less difficult.

"Now we'll begin," finished Marcus, before pulling out a list. "In reverse alphabetical order, each new independent will come forward, make a cut on their palm, and drop their blood into the bowl of their chosen faction."

We had to cut ourselves? I wasn't afraid of blood but I'd never hurt myself on purpose before. That started to become the least of my worries, however, as names started being called. Six people were called up before someone finally transferred, a Dauntless who decided to be Candor. The factions were usually pretty civil about letting go one of their own, but sometimes if an initiate was well-known enough they would cause mutters of dissent or even outbursts. My father had spoken of such an occasion only once, two years ago. Apparently the son of Marcus Eaton himself had transferred factions and that raised a few eyebrows.

The letters raced toward 'P' at a frightening rate. Before I knew it Hazel Riverton was being called up, and then Nicolas Reed and then Rachel Prune and then—

"Caleb Prior."

My brother swallowed thickly, swaying on the spot a bit. Then he stepped forward, climbing the stairs to the podium. Marcus offered him a new, clean knife and Caleb sliced into his palm swiftly. He moved toward the bowls, toward the ones at the end. He paused for only a moment before tipping his hand over the bowl of water.

The Erudite section erupted into applause.

I stared at Caleb numbly as he plastered a band-aid over his hand and hurried from the podium to join the sea of blue-clothed intellectuals. My brother…wasn't staying in Abnegation. My brother, who did so well with being selfless, had a stronger aptitude for Erudite? The thought was dizzying, but I could see it now. I could see why he had posed curious questions for me yesterday, and it explained his nervousness before and after the test. But I still couldn't believe it. I had counted on Caleb to stay behind with our parents, but now it all relied on me to stick with them and _I was the one who couldn't belong there_.

I couldn't be Abnegation if I tried for as long as I lived. Tori said I would be safe there, but I could see myself living a quiet, trapped life just as well as I could see myself exiling myself from the faction system altogether. I couldn't do it. I just couldn't.

_Erudite or Dauntless?_

"Beatrice Prior."

My legs felt like jello as I started my walk toward the platform and climbed up the stairs. By some miracle, they held my weight. Marcus gave me a new knife and one of his warm smiles. I'd never seen him up this close before, but I could see his eyes clearly now. I thought they might have been dark brown or black, but they were the darkest shade of blue possible, like the night sky. And, strangely, his kind smile didn't reach his eyes.

Maybe it was the nerves.

When I raised the knife to press it to my palm, I noticed my fingers weren't shaking. My mind was buzzing, but my body was calm and steady. It knew what to do, even if I didn't. I pressed harder until I drew blood and hardly felt the pain as a thin stream of the redness inched toward the heel of my hand. I held it out at the end, uncertain. At the very end was the Abnegation bowl, full of simple gray stones. Beside it was the red-tinted bowl of water for Erudite. In the middle was the sizzling coals for Dauntless, then glass for Candor, and earth for Amity. At least my decision was narrowed to the middle two bowls.

Or was it? Could I really bring myself to make my parents feel the loss of both their children? Caleb had already left for Erudite, and now I was seriously considering leaving too.

_Faction before blood_, I reminded myself. My parents would accept this. They knew I had to live up to my full potential, and it wasn't in Abnegation.

_So Erudite or Dauntless?!_ I demanded inwardly.

Erudite now had Caleb. But Dauntless…Dauntless was unfamiliar, it was unknown. But when I thought of Erudite I felt confined, almost like Abnegation, only I was surrounded by different pressures, and closed in by thick walls of books and people that didn't believe in free time.

I craved freedom.

My blood sizzled on the coals.

And Dauntless felt like a breath of fresh air.

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><p><strong>Leaving your family **forever** is probably one of the hardest things for anyone - especially a teenager - to do. The Choosing Ceremony presents a difficult decision, which makes it so intense, and I <em>love<em> that indecision! The only thing I had a bone to pick with this part of the book was the way the factions reacted to those who transferred. Like, I'm sorry, but you should be a bit more accepting of those who leave. Would you rather have someone in your faction who wasn't all about honesty and felt the compulsion to lie all the time? No, you want honest initiates and you're going to have to suck it up and let your son or daughter leave so they can do self-discovery shit and delve deeper into the quality they received the highest aptitude for. **

**Because that's what initiation is all about, right? Tris knows she's brave when she gets a Dauntless result in the Aptitude Test, but she doesn't know _just how brave _she can be or what bravery is all about until she's finished initiation. **

**So, therefore, these people should be fucking celebrating that someone from their faction transferred. They're going to contribute better to their peaceful, functional society now. That deserves a fucking round of applause, a goddamn standing ovation because leaving your family to be who you are is _really, extra, super_ _difficult_ and it's hard enough without your former faction glaring at you like you're the bane of their existence! Here's a tip, factions, don't call your factions transfers spineless traitors because they're the ones upholding peaceful society. **

**A few more tweaks in this chapter, though not totally story or plot-changing. I thought it was completely fucking stupid to put one faction in charge of the entire government. Especially when it's Abnegation. Like, fucking seriously, how stupid do you get? They're spineless pushovers, what makes you think they can be assertive? No, there needs to be representation from each faction in the government. So basically the deal here is there's the leader of each faction, plus five representatives and they make up the government and make important, all-faction decisions. That makes thirty people total in charge of the government. Not terrible, considering the size of the population.**

**Also, I made an actual premise to the entire faction that I like to think makes sense. (ALLEGIANT SPOILER ALERT: Or, rather, a "fake" faction premise, though I'm not sure if I'm 100% on board with the whole Allegiant "You were placed in Chicago for xyz" plotline so I might just make my own thing.) If you're confused at all, put it in a review and I'll explain in PM or write about it in further detail sometime later in the story.**

**Four next chapter! In chapter 4. Wow, that worked out well.**

**Vex:_ I can see how that would make sense in Roth's Divergent. I can see that people would grow up expecting to eventually belong to just one faction and to focus on just one trait. But at the same time being honest doesn't rule out one's ability to be kind or intelligent. Personality traits, in my belief, are not biologically inherited so if two Dauntless had a kid, it could have a higher aptitude for intelligence or kindness regardless of their parents' higher aptitude for bravery. At the same time, though, it depends on the environment they're raised in as well. We're about to get in the psychology argument of nature vs. nurture here, haha. I'll just leave it at that though! Thank you for your input! :)_**

**As usual, **I'd love to know what you think. I always wanna know. Do you love it, hate it, want to give me constructive criticism? Seriously, just let me know in a review!****

**- marisa ann**


	4. First Jumper

I took off my cardigan, letting the wind carry it until it skidded across the pavement in front of the Hub. My arms felt bare now, but I reveled in the freedom of letting the wind embrace them. Around me, the Dauntless laughed and cheered on the new initiates, urging them to hurry or we'd miss the train.

The train. How would we get on? The train didn't stop, as far as I could tell, so how did they do it?

All thoughts of my family, of Caleb, of being Divergent seemed to be ripped blissfully from my mind as I ran with the Dauntless. I forgot it all and it felt beautifully liberating.

"Hurry!" A woman in her twenties with long, wispy blonde hair called out to us, waving her hand urgently. She kept waving her hand as we passed by her and when we ran past the next building we were by the tracks. The Dauntless were hovering, tensed as if ready to spring at any moment. Someone grabbed me by the elbow and took me into the crowd, pushing me to the front along with the other initiates. They wanted us to get on the train first. But how were we expected to do that?

A loud whistle pierced the air, signaling the approach of the train. I exchanged a wide-eyed look with another faction transfer beside me. Then the train turned into view. It came fast at first, and then there were screeches. I looked around, startled, but none of the Dauntless looked alarmed. Looking back at the tracks, I noticed there were several very thick bars on them that slowed the train's approach, but didn't stop it.

"Grab onto a handle!" someone shouted as soon as the train's first car had passed.

I held out my hand as soon as it was said and grabbed one of the several handles on the next car. It was much easier than I thought it would be to quickly plant a foot on the long bar beneath the car and hang onto the moving train for dear life. On a handle right above my head, a Dauntless boy swung easily into the train car. I hurriedly followed, wincing as my shoulder bumped onto the door when I leaped onto the car floor.

I let out a long breath, one of relief but also of exhilaration. Even if the train hadn't been moving that fast, it was more than I'd ever done in Abnegation for seventeen years. The train started to speed up a few seconds later and the remaining Dauntless swung into the cars with whoops of joy.

I sat back against the metal of the car, shifting until I was as comfortable as I could get. I closed my eyes for a moment, smiling. I'd just left the faction I was born in, the only place I'd called home, but I'd never felt more free in my life. I felt like I could breathe fully for the first time. I didn't know what Dauntless initiation would bring me, but I was going to savor this moment while I could.

It could have been anywhere from a few minutes to an hour when I opened my eyes again and let them roam the inside of the train car. There were about five people that looked my age, so probably initiates. Three of them wore Erudite blue and sat huddled together in the corner. I could only see the back of a girl's head. There was also a girl a couple feet to my left, peering out the car door. I glanced back up and caught the last boy's eye, who was dressed all in black.

It was the Dauntless boy that had clung to the handle above my head earlier and he grinned widely at me. "So we've got a Stiff initiate, huh?" Though the word _Stiff_ was a derogatory term used for members of my faction—my _former_ faction, I reminded myself—the boy's voice wasn't unkind.

"I'm not a Stiff anymore," I told him, a little stung even though he seemed to mean well. Abnegation hadn't been the place for me, but that didn't mean I was comfortable with hearing people insult it and its members.

"Well, you're not technically Dauntless yet either," the boy pointed out. He shifted so he sat cross-legged a few feet in front of me.

"You guys are seriously worrying about labels right now?" The girl on my left spoke up, turning to look at us. She had a bob of black hair, chocolate-colored skin, and pretty, dark eyes.

The boy shrugged. "Do you think we should be worried about something else right now?"

"Uh, yeah. Jumping off a moving train." I could tell just by the way she said it that she had been Candor and a look at her black and white clothes proved it. Since Candor always told the truth, they spoke their thoughts with almost reckless abandon.

The boy laughed. "Don't worry about it. It looks tough, but it's pretty easy. The train slows down for us so it's as safe as it gets. They're not trying to kill us." His dark eyes twinkled. "I'm Uriah."

"Christina," the girl on my left introduced herself.

Both their eyes landed on me expectantly and I cleared my throat to speak. Before I could, however, the train screeched again and slowed down significantly within a minute. Christina craned her neck around the door opening.

"They're jumping," she reported, whipping around to stare accusingly at Uriah, "onto the roof of a building!"

"Calm down, there isn't even a gap in between," Uriah responded, rolling his eyes. Confidently, he leaped out of the train car and when I scrambled to my feet I saw him land deftly on the roof of the building ahead.

Before I could ready myself to jump, the three Erudite from the corner came up beside me and I quickly moved aside to let them get on the roof. By the time they were gone, it was just me and Christina and the edge of the building was coming dangerously close.

"Now!" she yelled, leaping out beside me. We hit the roof of the building just a few yards from the edge. My heart was pounding; jumping _off_ a moving train was a little more daunting than grabbing onto the handle of one. Especially when it was a roof we were jumping onto.

"Initiates!" a loud voice called. Christina and I looked up to see a tall man standing on the ledge of the building. He looked intimidating not because of the shaved sides of his head or the tattoos on his throat but because of the cold, unamused look in his black eyes as he swept them over the crowd. He folded his arms as we all gathered around him, the official Dauntless members behind us.

"I'm Eric and I'll be one of your…_supervisors_ in your initiation," he began. His voice was cold and drawling, but also full of acute intelligence. He spoke authoritatively, like he commanded us all. But that couldn't be right...he only looked a couple years older than myself. "One of the members' entrances to the Dauntless headquarters are several stories below us. To get in, you have to jump. Simple as that."

For a moment, everyone was very still. My heart skipped a beat. Was he serious?

"You want us…to jump off the edge of a building?" Christina echoed doubtfully.

"Yes," confirmed Eric. "A part of being Dauntless is facing fears and defeating them. Falling is a natural human fear instilled in us since birth. It's only suiting that the first fear you'll be facing here is one each and every one of us was born with."

"Is there water at the bottom or something?" called out an Erudite boy with slightly ruffled blond hair.

Eric shrugged. "Who knows? I guess you'll just have to trust us."

_Faction before blood,_ I reminded myself grimly. I could see how it made sense now. The Dauntless were giving us just a little taste of what was to come in initiation by facing a core human fear. At the same time, we were facing that fear while trusting in our new faction that they didn't plan to kill us by the seemingly suicidal jump.

"So, who'll be our first jumper?" asked Eric casually.

In a voice that didn't sound like my own, I immediately spoke up, "I will."

Eric's attention snapped to me and I almost wished I hadn't said anything. His gaze on me felt invasive and strange, like he was assessing every part of who I was just by staring at my skinny figure. People turned their heads to look at me too, perhaps surprised someone had spoken up so quickly. Maybe they were even surprised that person had been an Abnegation transfer. A Stiff.

Still, I stepped forward. Eric nodded once at me and got down from the ledge to allow me to climb up. I felt steady when I crouched on it for a moment but as soon as I straightened up to my full height, I swayed. I was so light that the wind blasting over the edge of the building could nearly topple me over. I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering briefly why I had chosen Dauntless over Erudite. Because I wanted to be free. Feeling the cool wind on my arms, hovering over the edge of the greatest height I'd ever laid eyes on, I felt freer than I ever would have dreamed.

I looked down. Bad idea. I couldn't even see the bottom, it just looked like a dark bottomless pit.

But if I didn't jump now, someone would get impatient or someone would start mocking me. I swallowed, took a deep breath, and stepped over the edge.

I took another breath, a gasp so sharp it almost hurt my lungs. I plunged downward quickly, the darkness swallowing me whole, and all the while my heart pounded so fast I swore it echoed around the cavern I'd just launched myself into—

I landed against something that first cradled me, then let me bounce back up a few feet. The impact left me winded but when I landed again I realized it was a net. I was just relieved it wasn't water because I _definitely_ hadn't been preparing to hold my breath. My breath came in short gasps and I couldn't hear anything through the frantic pounding in my ears. The edges of my vision were blurry but when I blinked several times they cleared up to see the net being pulled down by a hand.

It took a bit of awkward fumbling to drag myself toward the hand but when I did I grasped it as firmly as I could. The person dragged me the rest of the way forward, then hooked their hands under my shoulders and lifted me nearly effortlessly out of the net and onto the ground. I swayed a bit when I was on level earth again and the person carefully steadied me with a hand on my arm. I looked up to thank them but my mouth grew dry at the sight of the person.

He was a young man, no more than a couple years older than me, but something about him almost made him appear even older. It might have been his eyes, a blue so dark they were almost black. They were watchful, waiting, and they burned through me in the seconds his gaze rested on me.

"Name?" he asked simply, his hand dropping to his side once I seemed steady.

"Um…" I trailed off for a moment, uncertain. Beatrice really didn't sound right anymore, it just wasn't a name suiting for Dauntless. Beatrice was an Abnegation name, so what would a Dauntless equivalent be?

The man raised his brows, lips twitching. "Choose wisely. You don't get to pick again."

In a moment, I was suddenly certain. "Tris," I said breathlessly. "My name is Tris."

"Abnegation transfer," a dark-haired girl remarked. "Tris, huh? Are you gonna make the announcement, Four?"

_Four…?_ I glanced back up at the young man. Was that his name? It was unusual, to say in the least, but it somehow suited him though I couldn't imagine how he'd inherited the name. He was tall, not overly fit, but clearly athletic and seemed to possess a unique demeanor that was simultaneously brooding and suggesting that it wasn't in anyone's best interest to mess with him. It was his eyes though, his night-sky eyes, that left the deepest impression on me.

"First jumper—Tris!" Four's voice boomed, filling the cavern and no doubt carrying all the way up to the ledge where the other initiates waited.

I jumped when I felt a warm touch on my back. It was Four, pushing me lightly deeper into the cavern. "Welcome to Dauntless," he said.

When I stepped forward, my eyes were clear enough to see dozens of figures beaming at me as I came. They reached out, pulling me in, and pressed around me. All the while, they murmured welcomes and congratulations. The touch was foreign and every time someone lay a hand on my shoulder I felt like a bolt of electricity had gone through me. But it was exhilarating at the same time. This sort of welcome would never happen in Abnegation.

And I loved it.

* * *

><p><strong>What the hell is with Veronica Roth's obsession with labelling stupid, dangerous stunts as 'brave'? I really don't see what's so brave about throwing yourself onto a roof from a fast-moving train while hoping you don't go splat seven stories in the gap inbetween the building and said fast-moving train. And <em>then<em> she has them all throw themselves off of a building to prove their bravery. Also, the fact that no one cared about people dying in this act just made me outraged. Being the military/police force of the city, you'd think they'd take all the help they can get.**

**To me, it seems like she just wanted to make the Dauntless seem really cool. Like, I guess jumping on fast-moving trains is kinda cool, but is it _realistic_ and _reasonable_? No? Then please, woman, do us a favor and just don't.  
><strong>

**However, instead of editing it out like I originally planned to do, I decided to leave it in with some tweaks. Also, it's a convenient mode of transportation. Assuming the Dauntless are the guards of the city and assuming the train winds all the way around the city, then it would be a pretty great mode of transport for those that are the equivalent of the police force/army. The train doesn't stop - it doesn't _ever_ stop, as I decided - but unlike Roth I've taken the liberty of explaining this (albeit, in the author's note). It doesn't stop because it runs on solar energy and because the Dauntless always have a place to be when they're guarding Chicago. This way, they always know _exactly_ when the train will arrive which is important because the army should always be punctual. **

**Also, I'm taking out the whole 'the Dauntless are adrenaline-junky punks' thing. That just makes me angry and annoyed. What's brave about rings through your eyebrows and nostrils and mohawks and dyed hair and extensive tattoos? Just to name a few things. My Dauntless still dress in black because black is hot - um, I mean black is reasonable if you're an army/police force faction. And their clothes are tight-fitted to make it easier to fight in. And I'm also allowing tattoos. I have tattoos myself and I have personal experience with getting tatted to celebrate defeating a fear. That, to me, makes sense. **

**I think that's it? We got some Christina and Uriah in this chapter - expect more of them in the rest of the fic. Uriah seemed to develop into Tris's bestie in _Insurgent_ so I'm just going to go ahead and develop that right away. **

**I hope you like Four. I don't know about you, but to me he's already 800% more interesting than he ever was in the books and he's had, like, four lines so far. **

**I think that's it for now?**

**I'd love to know what you think. I always wanna know. Do you love it, hate it, want to give me constructive criticism? Seriously, just let me know in a review!**

**- marisa ann**


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